Air-signal valve.



E. J. ERIGSSON.

AIR SIGNAL VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21, 1914.

1,133,] 16, Patented-Mar.23,1915.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

TOR/VEYS THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTC-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D, c.

E. J. ERICSSON.

AIR SIGNAL VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 21. 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.2.

IIIIN i f lllln a: J I

WITNESSES THE NORRIS PETERS CO" PHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTDN, D. C.

lliwardffiicsson rs ST nnWARn JOSEPH ERicssoN, or

salt FnAncIsco, CALIFORNIA.

AIR-SIGNAL VALVE.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. ERIossoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Signal Valves, of which the following is a specification;

My invention relates to signals actuated by air under pressure, as on railway trains, and the main object thereof isto provide a valve in the train signal air line which permits the actuation of a signal when a relief valve at any one of a plurality of points is opened, said signal preferably being in close proximity vto a locomotive engineer or to a motorman of a motor car or train. I

A further object isto provide such a Valve which prevents the signal actuation when the train line is closed, regardless of; the pressure of air in said train line.

A further object is to provide such a valve which permits the actuation of the signal, by a portion of the air rushing from the air reservoir to an open relief valve; and further objects are to provide, such valves which are simple in construction and in-' vstallation, positive in action, well adapted for the purpose for which they are intended, and comparatively inexpensive.

My invention is fully described in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts are designated'by the same reference characters in each of the views, and in which V Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of the train signal air line system, illustrated for two cars, provided with my valve; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged, detached, sectional, view of the valve, with a signal connected therewith. r

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the train line at 3, having the usual flexible couplings 4: be tween cars, and stop-cocks 5, said train line being in communication, with a reservoir 6 for the compressed air and which, as shown, is the main reservoir also in communication with the air-brake system by means of a pipe 7, an air strainer 8' and reducing valve 9 being illustrated in connection with the portion 3 of the train line pipe.

Within each unit of a train is a branch pipe 10 having a stop-cock 11 therein and a fipecification of Letters Patent. Patented Ri 23; 5 Application filed October 21,

1914. seria11vo..se7,v54. v

relief valve 12.atthe end thereof, thehandles or levers of which relief valves are connected with suitablecords whereby the said valves may be actuated from any portion-of the length of a train unit, the illustration being for a motor car with a trailer and the motor car being equipped with a relief valve whereby the conduc'tor may signal thermos torman whenever he. so desires, but steam locomot ves need not be soequipped. Wlthin the englneers or motormans cab is a whistle 13 connected'by means of a pipe 14 with the lowervportion of my valve 15,

preferably by means of a threaded plug 16 having a bore 17 therethrough and provided wlth a reduced "portion 18 at the upper end 'PAENT F F thereof, Fig. *2, and the upper end of: said portion 18 is of conical vformation, as shown.

The plug16 is threaded intoa T-coupling 19, in one end thereof, and in the other end is a'section of casing 20 also screw threaded intoa similar coupling 21 in the other end of which is an air-tight plug 22 having a downwardly directed rod or bolt 28 adjustable therein, the train line pipe 8 being de,

tachably connected with the coupling 21and the reservoir pipe 3) being similarly connected with the coupling 19.

Within the casing 20' is a freely movable slide valve 24 having upper and lower flanges 25 and 26, respectively, in close proximity to the inner walls of said casing '20 and provided with a relatively large bore 27 in the lower end" thereof, the inner end of which bore is tapered to conform to the conical formation of the reduced portion 18 of the plug 16, to-form a seat therefor, and

I also-provide small openings 28 in the sides ofsaid bored end of the valve 24 to permit the entry of air thereto. 1

When a relief valve 12 is opened, in any of the units of the train, the air rushes therefrom because of the pressure in the reservoir 6, the flow of said air being through the portion 3 of the train line,

casing 20 of my valve 15, train line pipe,

3, and branch 10, and, because of the flanges 25 and 26, the valve 24 is raised fromv its seat, and a portion of the air under pressure passes to and through the plug, 16 and to the whistle 13, actuating the same, and notifying'the engineer or motorman, but it will be noted that the flanges 25 and 26 do not prevent the free flow of air through the casing 20, being only of sufficient relative diameter to insure the raising of the valve 24 from its seat. again closed, the air in the train line is held against escape, and under pressure, the pressure being the same throughout the train line and, thus, equal on both sides of my valve 15, and the signal is not actuated for this reason no matter what the air pressure may be, my valve continuously holding the signal out of communicationwith the train line signal pipe. It will also be noted that, while I may connect the train line signal pipe with the main reservoir, it has no connection whatever with the train line pipe system of the air-brakes, such as to effect the latter, the amount of air required to actuate the signal being inappr'eciable with respect to the pressure of the air holding the brakes out of operative position, the reducing valve 9 controlling the relative air pressures.

My invention is very simple, though highly efficient, is composed of few parts and of which but one is movable, may be quickly installed in any desired arrange- -ment of pipes, and is inexpensive, and, for

the most part, the parts are What is known as stock and, therefore, readily repaired or replaced in the event of breakage, as in collisions, etc.

Having fully described my invention,

When the relief valve is what I claim as new, and desire to secure by hetters Patent, 1s:*

1. The combination with pipes contain- 'munication with said plug bore.

2. The combination with pipes contain ing air under pressure, of a casing joining said pipes, a plug in one end thereof having a tubular extension and a bore therethrough, a weighted valvehaving a flange thereon and provided with a tubular portion encompassing said tubular extension and provided With air ports in the side thereof, a whistle in communication with said plug bore, and means for limiting the upward movement of said valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDNARD JOSEPH ERICSSONi Witnesses:

MILTON J. REYNOLDS, FRED. W. SINGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Eatenta,

a Washington, D. C. 

